Causes of a water-based disease

Question 1

cause

Answer 1

• Plasmodium parasite.
• The parasite can be spread to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Question 2

climate

Answer 2

• Mosquitoes can only survive in temperatures between 16 and 40 degrees Celsius.
• They breed and lay their larvae in stagnant water created by heavy rainfall.
• The climate has to be at least 60% humidity.

Question 3

shade

Answer 3

Shade in the form of vegitation allows the mosquito to digest its blood meal.

Question 4

human settlements

Answer 4

Building towns next to reservoirs provide a blood reservoir for the mosquito to feed.

Question 5

agriculture

Answer 5

• In developing countries (where Malaria is most commonly found) many people are employed in the agricultural sector.
• This means that people spend the majority of their day outside working the land.
• This increases their chance of being bitten by the mosquito, as mosquitoes are most prevalent at dusk and dawn when people farm.

Question 6

movement of people

Answer 6

• War can displace large numbers of people.
• Infected people move into malaria free areas, where people’s immunity is non-existent
• The disease spreads very rapidly.

Question 7

lack of education

Answer 7

Not completing courses of drugs means that the parasite may not have been eradicated from the bloodstream